8 Day Tour from Las Vegas to Las Vegas

Vacation Overview

Explore the captivating canyonlands on this unforgettable vacation! Your trip begins among the neon lights of Las Vegas before heading east to experience the Grand Canyon, where you’ll overnight in the park and have time to wander along the canyon rim. While at the Grand Canyon, enjoy a spectacular sunrise or sunset. From the Grand Canyon, continue into Navajo country and Monument Valley for time to dip in the pool and admire the beauty around you. Have your camera ready for some spectacular shots during your 4-wheel-drive tour of mystical Monument Valley. Then head west for Page and Lake Powell.After Page, a day of contrasts leads you to Bryce Canyon National Park, where years of erosion have carved colorful sandstone into thousands of spires, arches, and mazes. Finally, head to Zion National Park and enjoy the beauty and peace offered at this park—with its massive canyon walls ascending toward the blue sky. You’ll have time in Zion National Park to explore, hike, bird watch, or join a park ranger to learn more about the animals, geology, plants, and human history within the park. Return to the excitement of Las Vegas and visit the shops and casinos—a perfect way to end your canyonlands vacation!

Guides:

Local Guide for sightseeing in Monument Valley; services of a professional Tour Director.

NOTE:

On vacations that include an overnight stay in Las Vegas, at least one member of the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older.

Day 1Las Vegas

Welcome to exciting Las Vegas, also known as “Sin City!” Enjoy time at leisure to relax or to do some independent exploring. Your Tour Director is on hand this evening to answer any questions.

Day 2Las Vegas–Grand Canyon National Park

Cross the desert and the old Mojave gold-strike country, passing through Williams on historic Route 66, and Kaibab National Forest, to arrive in the Grand Canyon by mid-afternoon. Marvel at one of the Natural Wonders of the World as you experience breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. There’s plenty of free time to wander along the canyon rim. Overnight in Grand Canyon National Park.

Day 3Grand Canyon National Park–Monument Valley

If you miss the sunset over the canyon, sunrise is just as impressive! There is time for an optional helicopter flightseeing tour of the Grand Canyon—definitely the thrill of a lifetime. Later, take a scenic drive across the Kaibab Plateau and through the amazing Painted Desert. Continue into MONUMENT VALLEY, where the weathering action of wind and water has carved the famous sandstone spires and towers that rise hundreds of feet above the valley floor. You’ll stay overnight at historic Goulding’s Lodge with its panoramic views of the valley. Take a dip in the pool and admire the western sky, or explore the Goulding’s Museum & Trading Post, part of the set built for John Wayne’s film, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Monument Valley has been featured in scores of movies, from John Ford’s Stagecoach to Forrest Gump. Take a walk back in time with this wonderful collection of movie memorabilia and Indian artifacts.

Day 4Monument Valley–Lake Powell–Page

This morning, your 4-WHEEL-DRIVE tour is a memorable way to experience Monument Valley. Then, head to Page and visit the Glen Canyon Dam, holding back the waters of the Colorado River in Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest man-made lake. This afternoon, consider an optional Antelope Canyon cruise, which takes you onto the lake and into the tight, winding canyons.

Day 5Page–Bryce Canyon National Park

Our optional early morning flight provides another unique perspective of Lake Powell. This beautiful sightseeing flight also includes Glen Canyon Dam, Wahweap Marina, Tower Butte, and Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural arch on Earth. Then, travel into Utah along the Grand Staircase to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce is famous for its unique geology; erosion has created bizarre shapes, including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called “hoodoos.” Tinted with numerous colors, these rocks create a wondrous landscape. Make sure to have your camera on hand today!

Day 6Bryce Canyon National Park–Zion National Park

“Zion” is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary. Once a refuge for Mormon pioneers, Zion National Park’s striking landscapes of steep canyons and stone towers carved out by rushing streams over millions of years will mesmerize you. There is plenty of time to explore the park: take the park shuttle, see the Visitor’s Center and the museum, take a leisurely hike, bird watch, or join a park ranger to learn more about the animals, geology, plants, and human history. You’ll stay overnight close to Zion National Park’s borders.

Day 7Zion National Park–Las Vegas

This morning begins with an orientation tour of St. George, the most important Mormon community in southern Utah. We continue to Las Vegas with a mid-afternoon arrival.

Day 8Las Vegas

The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport are included. You can extend your vacation with extra nights and explore “Sin City” further with a variety of exciting optional activities.

This Cosmos travel package does not include meals. Most of our hotels offer anything from coffee to a full breakfast, so you can start the day the way you like best. At most lunch stops, your Tour Director will have information on local restaurants. Dinnertime is your chance to sample local cuisine. Sometimes your Tour Director will offer an optional dinner outing.

With Cosmos, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of your Tour Director. Averaging over a decade... we’d like you to meet a Tour Director, who is representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

ANDREW MORAN

Years of Experience: 11 years

Born in Salisbury, England, I left England at the age of nine and ended up in Los Angeles. Some of my hobbies include travel, flying (I have my license to fly small, single-engine planes), gardening (growing my own fruits and veggies is awesome), and landscaping (it gives me a chance to learn about different trees and plants). My advice to travelers is to come with an open mind and look forward to learning new things. What makes other places so special is that they're not home!

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on the Highlights of the Canyonlands: